A. Related Patent
The present patent application is related to U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,123, which issued to the present inventor on Dec. 5, 1995, and which is incorporated by reference herein.
B. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to containers for dispensing fluids and, in particular, to a bottle for dispensing motor oil that prevents the oil from dispensing prematurely.
C. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,535, issued to James Boyte, discloses a bottle having a buoyant, invertable stopper that is heavier toward one end. When the user squeezes and inverts the bottle, the stopper prevents oil from flowing through the neck of the bottle. However, when the user stops squeezing the bottle, the buoyant stopper floats away from the neck of the bottle, thereby permitting oil to float through the neck of the bottle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,266, issued to James Woodruff, discloses a similar arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,018,552, issued to A. L. Grammar, discloses a powder dispensing container. The container has a neck having a discharge opening and a guide portion. A closure that is connected to a rigid shaft normally blocks the discharge opening. The rigid shaft is connected to bottom wall of the container. In use, the user flexes the bottom wall, thereby pushing the rigid shaft and the connected closure. The closure moves out of the discharge opening, permitting powder to flow through the opening. When the user releases the wall, the the closure again blocks the discharge opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,123, issued to the present inventor, discloses a bottle having a flexible flap valve with an edge and a blocking portion that are disposed within the neck of the bottle. The valve has a closed position in which the flap edge is releasably disposed within a retention groove and in which the blocking portion prevents fluid from flowing through the neck of the bottle. The valve also has an open position in which the flap edge is disengaged from the retention groove so that fluid may flow through the neck of the bottle. While this approach represents a significant improvement over the prior art, it is desirable to find an alternative design that costs less to manufacture.